Time Out! Substitution!
by Elias Pedro
Summary: It's the day of the performance of HTT at the Cultural Festival but Ritsu and Yui are still sick! A substitution is in order, but with the many eccentricities of the Light Music Club, Ui and Satoshi are in for one hell of a ride. Reviews are appreciated!
1. Prologue, A Little Frilly Favor

**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 1 - Prologue**

"Satoshi-kun…" Ritsu moaned as she lay in bed with a moist towel on her forehead. She then turned to me, sitting at her bedside with a serious look on my face. "Seems I won't heal in time…"

A fit of coughing then ensued, making the towel slip from her brow. Today was the day of Sakura-gakou's cultural festival and Afterschool Tea Time was supposedly going to have a performance. The two of us there knew all too well that the band wouldn't be able to play well without a drummer, so Ritsu must've felt really bad about catching whatever she caught at such a critical time. This was where I came in.

"Don't stress yourself sis…" I said, trying my best to sound as reassuring as I possibly could. Reaching for the slipped towel, I put it back on her forehead making her smile.

"You do remember everything I taught you…" Ritsu continued despite my request that she rest up, "We drummers are the rhythm of the band. We are the ones who urge the others onwards."

"I know, I know…" I said, "You taught me that when you were teaching me the drums…"

Indeed, for almost a year now, my sister had been teaching me the basics of drumming. I had learned a lot in that one year and grew attached to the drum set. Now at my sister's time of need, it was time for me to step up my game. I was going to replace her in today's performance. However...

"Alright then." She said, ruffling my hair a bit, "So, now you know what to do."

This particular substitution came at a price. A heavy one.

Hanging on the doorknob of her room was the fall uniform of Sakura-gakou, an all-girl's school in suburban Osaka. The uniform consisted of a skirt, a blouse, a blazer and a ribbon. Exactly why am I going through the trouble of describing this particular uniform? Well... in order to perform today, that was the uniform I would have to wear. That's right... I had to cross-dress. I hope my consciousness will forgive me tomorrow...

Gritting my teeth, I stood up and headed over to that doorknob, collecting the uniform and slowly putting it on. The blouse, the skirt, the blazer, the ribbon… I put all of it on. Then, I took a brown wig on top of my sister's study table and put the damn thing (regretfully) over my head. Finally, I put on Ritsu's favorite headband. In that moment of mixed solidarity and scrutiny, I looked almost exactly like my sister Ritsu. The girl who had been so sickly a moment ago then started laughing hysterically.

"Cross-dresser!" She teased

"Shut up!" I countered sharply, "I'm doing this for you okay?"

"Alright…" Ritsu said sticking out her tongue, "Thank you Satoshi-kun."

"Don't mention it…" I mumbled as I put on my elder sister's headband, "And I mean literally, don't freakin tell anyone cause I'm gonna be so mad!"

"I won't, I won't." She chuckled weakly, "So go ahead. They're all waiting for you."

"Right…"

Pouring her another glass of water by her bedside and preparing some of her medicine, I took my leave and started walking towards Sakura-gakou in my sister's uniform. In the pockets of her blazer, I fished out a set of drumsticks and held onto them tightly. The things I do for love... I can see why those philosophers call love irrational. I mean, what kind of a man dresses up as a girl for his sister's sake? Freud would have a field day with this... Hopefully, I don't embarrass myself... too much.

Walking briskly through the town, not a person looked at me strangely thanks to the brunette wig my sister had loaned me. Despite that, I felt really weird walking around in girl's clothes! Any man would feel weird doing that anyways, but given my situation, it was still something else. I mean, damn these skirts are breezy! How do they manage going to school in these all year? Being used to the male gakuran as the standard-issue uniform in school, wearing blouses and skirts was waaaaaay out of my comfort zone. Sheesh. Not having time to ponder the peculiarities of female fashion any longer, I found myself at the entrance of Sakura-gakou. This was it... let's get it over with.

As I walked through the entrance though, I would soon find out that I wasn't the only one dressing up as someone else that day. Walking almost as nervously as I was just a while ago, someone who looked an awful lot like Yui Hirasawa, the band's guitarist, passed me by. Her uniform was the same as Yui's. Her hairstyle was the same as Yui's. The only thing was, she wasn't Yui.

"Ui-chan?" I called

"Satoshi-kun?" She replied

Realizing the predicament the two of us had landed into, Ui and I could only sigh. It was going to be a long day.

**To Be Continued**

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**Author's Notes**: For those of you familiar with my other K-ON work "Reaching for the Stars", you may notice the similar narration style. Satoshi barely evaded having to cross-dress in Reaching for the Stars. Now he has no escape! Haha! This is a little project of mine I made up one boring day. I figured that I should make a K-ON only story too, and this premise came to mind. Hope you all enjoy it! Please R&R! I'll appreciate it!


	2. So, You Dress Up As Your Sister Often?

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**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 2**

Two people dressed up as someone else, meeting each other at the entrance of Sakura-gakou. It was a chance encounter, a strange one at that, but a chance encounter nonetheless. The first person was Ui Hirasawa, dressed up as her older sister Yui Hirasawa. Slung over her shoulder was the guitar case carrying Yui's beloved Gibson Les Paul guitar affectionately called Gui-tah. The second person was none other than poor me, Satoshi Tainaka, dressing up as my older sister Ritsu. In my hands were a set of drumsticks I held on to tightly to keep myself from freaking out from the sheer awkwardness of my situation. The scary thing was, the two of us looked exactly like our elder sisters. For Ui, it wasn't such a big deal since she only had to let her hair down (and maybe blow-dry it to make it fluffier and out of place)... but for me? A wig, a headband, the blouse, the skirt, the ribbon, the blazer... I had the really, really, really short end of the stick here. It was too late to head back though, I'll have to deal with it.

"Ui-chan?" I called out to her, seeing that she was just as nervous as I was

"Satoshi-kun..." She replied, realizing that I was cross-dressing. Though she had been slightly nervous and serious just a moment ago, she now found herself struggling not to laugh.

"Hey, quit it!" I demanded sharply, "We're on the same boat here Ui-chan..."

"I know, I know..." Ui said, now getting over her laughter, "So I'm guessing Ritsu-senpai is still sick."

"Yeah. She won't make it today." I said, "The same with Yui-senpai?"

"Uh-huh... it took a lot of convincing to make her stay in bed." Ui replied with a smile, "And it took a lot more to convince her to let me take Gui-tah with me. She's practically in love with this guitar you see."

"As expected of her - she's probably depressed right now." I chuckled. "So that's why we're here huh... we get to be our older sisters for a day, how delightful..."

Obviously, that was sarcasm on my side.

"It can't be that bad Satoshi-kun." Ui said reassuringly. Just then, a familiar-looking teacher happened to pass by. Ui, being the outgoing person that she was, went on ahead and greeted her.

"Good morning Sawako-sensei."

"Good morning Yui..." she replied, thinking that Ui was actually Yui. When Ui's rather unusual greeting was finally processed in her mind though, she stopped in her tracks, "Sawako... sensei?"

Shoot! This wasn't good. Yui-senpai never called her teacher Sawako-sensei and Ui seemed innocent of her mistake. Our cover could get blown! Sawako was just about to take a closer look at Ui when I decided to give my greeting a shot. Giving it my best Ritsu accent I could manage, I greeted her as well with as much energy I could muster.

"Mornin' Sawa-chan! Nice day for a performance today ah!"

"Tainaka-san," she said, seemingly unpleased by my greeting, "You still have phlegm it seems, your voice sounds lower than usual. Luckily, you don't have to sing."

Phew... that was a close call. Though my impersonation was a ways off, it took the heat off Ui and Sawako went on her merry way.

"This is going to be tougher than I thought..." Ui sighed, unfazed by the encounter.

"Yeah." I said in my regular voice, "We need a plan."

So, plan we did. Finding a quiet spot in the library, the two of us sat face to face before a table. There, we conjured up our modus operandi.

"If we want to survive today with our dignity intact..." I said to start off. This statement however just made Ui laugh again, ticking me off a bit, but she quickly apologized.

"Let me rephrase that." I said, knowing all too well that my dignity already took the lethal blow the moment I put on this wig, "If we want to get through today without any more incident, we can't let anyone else know we're dressing up as our sisters."

"Got it." Ui said eagerly

"That being said, our encounter with Sawa-chan showed us our problems off the bat." I said, "My voice is too low to be like Ritsu's (as tomboyish as she might be) and you act like the total opposite of your sister."

Come to think of it, Ui wasn't only acting like Yui's total opposite. She was the total opposite of her sister, but that wasn't helping either of us right now.

"So what do you say we should do then?" Ui asked

"Here's the plan." I said, remembering everything Ritsu told me about the Light Music Club, "Throughout this day, I'll avoid talking with anyone, especially the girls. I'll say it's because of my phlegm or something."

"But how do you tell them you can't talk to them if you can't talk?" Ui questioned

"That's where you come in." I replied, "You're going to be my spokesperson. You can sound like Yui-senpai if you put some feelings into it."

"Ah, I see..." Ui said, "But I have to act like her too then."

"Yeah." I nodded. I then pointed to her guitar case and said, "You have to be passionate about everything, especially Gui-tah"

"Like this?" Ui said clearing her throat, "I love Gui-tah."

"More emotion Ui-chan!" I demanded, clenching my fist for emphasis, "Remember, think over-the-top!"

"Okay." Ui said closing her eyes. She then opened them and held onto the guitar case lovingly and cried, "Ah! Gui-tah~! I missed you so much! You were in that case for so long, you must have missed me huh? Well I missed you very much Gui-tah~! Gui-tah~"

Whoa... she went from sane to insane in just seconds. This might actually work out.

"How was that?" Ui blushed, realizing that she got too into it

"Perfect... better than perfect." I said with a grin, "Another thing you have to remember aside from that, though, would be the way you refer to others."

"Like Sawako-sensei?" Ui asked

"Yes, that's totally wrong." I said sternly, "Sawa-chan goes by Sawa-chan. Tsumugi-senpai goes by Mugi-chan. Mio-senpai goes by Mio-chan. Azusa-chan goes by Azu-nyan. Got it?"

"Got it." Ui said nodding, "What about you?"

"Me?" I confirmed, "Call me Riichan!"

Though I was glad Ui was learning quickly, I was starting to fear my subconscious metamorphosis into my sister. I didn't want that to happen... and I didn't want to give Sigmund Freud any more material to gloat over...

"So are we clear on that?" I asked, silently telling myself that I wasn't my sister.

"Yeah!" Ui said with a nod, "Let's make our sisters proud!"

She then extended her hand to me with her pinky raised. What was this, some sort of guitar chord?

"It's a pinky promise." Ui laughed, "C'mon, you should know what this is."

"Fine." I said wrapping my pinky around hers, "Let's do this Ui."

**To Be Continued**

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Author's Notes:

Time Out! Substitution originally started out as a joke project, but thanks to the positive reviews, I decided to continue writing this story! Please feel free to review! Feedback is always useful and it makes an author's day! Chapter 3 is coming soon :D 


	3. Let The Acting Begin!

**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 3**

There comes a time in every man's life when he looks back at his life and asks himself a simple question. '_Why the hell am I doing this?_'' Walking through the halls of Sakura-gakou with Ui Hirasawa, wearing my sister's uniform and a wig, it wasn't hard to ask myself that question. As a matter of fact, I asked myself that every second. I could only sigh.

Luckily for me, my partner in crime wasn't a jerk in any sense of the word. Though she more or less laughed at me the first time she realized what crap I had brought upon myself voluntarily, Ui was quite understanding and supportive.

"We can get through this, Satoshi." She would say cheerfully, it was quite comforting to know someone like her was on my side. Being comforted and motivated to wear a skirt however was something else entirely. I'm a drummer, not a bagpipe player! Perhaps I should consider moving to Canada.

As the two of us climbed up the staircase to the music room though, I quickly remembered that she wasn't the only person I would be dealing with today. I had to deal with the rest of the Light Music Club, and I had to make them think I was my sister. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon… bummer.

"So you remember the plan Ui?" I said turning to my companion, "As soon as you get there, you know what to do."

"Uhm… yeah." She said, fidgeting a little bit, "But are you really sure I can't just skip that?"

"Impossible." I said shaking my head, "It's the first thing Yui-senpai does the moment she gets there. It'd be strange if you didn't do it."

"But doing that is strange already!" Ui complained, desperately wanting to get off the hook

"Ui… you do know that your sister **_is_** strange." I reasoned

"Yeah… she is…" Ui nodded

"C'mon… just this once." I said, "It won't hurt to try."

"Alright… I'll take your word on it." Ui sighed. We reached the doors of the music room and she turned on me and said, "Let's go."

Giving her a nod, she opened the door and went Yui-mode, and I mean all out Yui-mode. It was a sight to behold.

"AZU-NYAAAAN~!" Ui cried, running frenziedly towards Azusa Nanako, the petite sophomore. Not giving her a chance to speak, Ui embraced the girl in an affectionate master-lock and started patting her head like a cat, making the little girl struggle to break free. Ui then mumbled whispered cutesy gibberish to her as if she were talking to a stray animal, making Azusa's struggle more desperate. Then she stopped struggling, as if accepting Ui's embrace, surprising Ui and surprising me.

"I'm just glad you're all better now Yui-senpai." Azusa said returning the hug, making Ui silently panic. The situation has turned around completely, but all I could do was watch. The other girls in the room didn't seem disturbed at all – it must have been a usual occurrence here then, so it wasn't something to catch their attention (sickos...). Was I the only one even mildly concerned? And why was I finding all of this oddly interesting? I had no time for that! We had a plan to execute! Well... at least I know I haven't completely turned into a girl…

Not wanting to dawdle anymore, I marched into the room without saying a word. The attention then turned to me, prompting Azusa to let go of the now overwhelmed Ui. The first person to acknowledge my presence was none other than Mio Akiyama.

"Ritsu. You made it." She said in her usual soft-spoken tone. She seemed really happy, thinking that Ritsu actually was standing there and not her fifteen year-old brother clad in girl's clothing. The look in her eyes had a tinge of longing in them and reminded me of one peculiarity I realized I would have to face throughout this day; Freud was out to get me. Oh joy of joys.

Turning away from that girl's gaze, I groaned audibly, trying my best to make it sound like I still have a bit of phlegm.

"Oh right." Ui said, remembering her other duty, "Riichan's alright now, but she still has the phlegm so she can't really talk much."

"Ah, so that's why you're so quiet right now." Mio said rubbing her chin, "Anyways, we were thinking about cancelling our performance today since we didn't think you two would get better in time."

What? They were planning to cancel the performance? Then I don't have to freaking be here! I'll just act something out and I'll be on my way back home… I just have to…

"Don't worry Mio, we're here now so you don't have to worry!" Ui said cheerfully, "We can perform today!"

As much as I admire her enthusiasm and the accuracy of her Yui-ness, I would've preferred walking out before any more damage was done. Too late to do that now though… nice going.

"So let's start practicing now." Azusa proposed zealously, and everyone agreed. She then led them to their instruments and the practice session was underway. Since I didn't really have an instrument, per se, I followed Ui to her guitar case and knelt beside her as she took it out to find out how she was.

"So how are you holding up Ui?" I whispered, making sure that no one heard me, "You look pretty shaken up..."

"Satoshi-kun…" she whimpered, still shocked by the whole Azusa ordeal. Seeing her like this made me feel a little guilty for forcing her to aggressively cuddle with her best friend. Then, the unexpected came.

"I didn't know Azusa was so soft and… so gentle…"

No Ui! Don't go over to the dark side! The cookies are a lie!

"Snap out of it Ui. We still have a practice session to do." I said shaking her shoulder and bringing her back to sanity. "Let's just focus on the matter at hand, alright? We can do this."

"Right." Ui said, a little less pleased than I thought she would be. Was it still because of that Azusa thing?

"I'm fine, don't worry." She said mustering up a smile. The two of us then rejoined the others and started the practice. Getting behind the drum set at last, I started to forget the fact I was wearing a wig and a skirt. I loved playing the drums, so I didn't care what I was wearing… I would have preferred my normal clothes though, but I wasn't exactly in a normal situation right now.

Before the practice started though, Ui made a simple request.

"Would it be alright if I don't sing during practice?" She said coolly, "I think it'd be better if I kept my voice for the real thing."

That made sense, and everyone agreed. However, I couldn't get that gut-wrenching feeling that Ui was hiding something. Seeing her smile after all of that though, it probably wasn't anything important. I mean, what could be worse than having to cross-dress and not be able to talk to anyone. Nothing really. Shrugging, I picked up my drumsticks and the five of us jammed the instrumental of _Fuwa Fuwa Time_.

Just as I expected, the members of Afterschool Tea Time were amazing musicians. Mio was a well-measured and flexible bassist, Tsumugi was a talented and creative keyboardist and Azusa was a lively and dynamic guitarist. Though I was more or less at par with my sister, the thing that surprised me was Ui's playing. She told me she was an amateur, but she had some wicked chops. She even outdoes Azusa on some phrases, surprising even her – Yui-senpai probably never came close to doing that so she must have been shocked. Anyways, we played through the song twice and were quite satisfied by the performance.

"Phew!" Mio sighed as she put aside her bass, "I think we're ready."

"Yeah. I think we are." Azusa said, "We still have a few hours before the show though."

"Why don't we have some tea then?" Tsumugi suggested happily, "It's always nice to have some tea before a show."

Well, I couldn't argue with that logic. Tea was always good, I thought. What harm was there in having some tea? I would find out soon enough.

An already awkward situation was about to get worse.

**To Be Continued**

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Author's Notes: And, I'm back! With the weekend at hand, I think I'll be able to write a few more chapters of this or even finish it! So tell me guys and gals, what do you think of it so far? Is there anything in particular you want to see? Write a review and tell me what you think!


	4. Of Teacups and Confessions

**Author's Notes:** Salutations. In case the T-rating and the first three chapters weren't warning enough, this story may not be for the faint of heart or funny bone. Medical warning aside, here is Chapter 4 everyone! Thanks for following the story and please tell me what you think! I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. :D

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**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 4**

"Why don't we have some tea then?" Tsumugi Kotobuki, the keyboardist proposed with a modest smile, "It's always nice to have some tea before a show."

A modest proposal, I told myself as Ui and I joined the rest of the girls at the clubroom table, but I couldn't help but feel a little bit uneasy. Was it because everyone there seemed more eager for this 'tea time' than practicing, or was it because of that book written by Jonathan Smith? Add that to the fact that I was wearing a skirt and a wig in the presence of all these beautiful girls, I was starting to get uncomfortable – or rather, more uncomfortable than I already was. I mean, if Ui's berserk love-attack on Azusa was a common occurrence here, then what in the hell goes on in the Light Music Club on regular days? Ui, who had grown sensitive to my negativity saw this and smiled reassuringly.

"Chill out Satoshi-kun," Ui whispered as we sat together, "Tea time is fun! Don't be so uptight."

Ui's words were enough to diffuse my anxiety. It reminded me that I wasn't going through this strange test of endurance alone.

As it turns out, Ui was right. The tea time the Light Music Club had was nothing out of the ordinary. No crazy rituals, no strange incantations and no human sacrifices (thank goodness). It was just plain and simple tea time. Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar I guess.

"See? Just enjoy yourself." Ui said, patting my shoulder. It made me feel a little silly for getting so defensive, but the fact remained that I was a boy among girls who thought I was a girl. Like Ui said though, I shouldn't worry too much so I should just sit back and enjoy myself. Our plan was working after all, way too well.

Sitting there in Ritsu's chair, I watched as the girls chattered and laughed like there was no tomorrow. The gossip never seemed to end with this gender… Luckily for me, I didn't have to speak thanks to my phlegm alibi and they were totally fine with it – though I'd never talk about those sorts of topics anyways. I'd be worried about my psyche if I did.

Also, Ui was doing well pretty well too. Being a girl, she naturally fit in with the topic and had more or less perfected Yui's voice and mannerism. She basically did the talking for me and kept the attention away from me for the most part… and she was good at it. Ui had effectively turned from the responsible younger sister to the airheaded klutz and nobody suspected she wasn't Yui. She was totally in character – or out of character for that matter. If she kept this up, she might be a terrific actress in the future… or a con artist. She'd make an excellent con artist.

Then, the tea came. Mugi, who had been brewing tea all that time, rejoined us at the table with a full pot of tea and a pleasant smile.

She dutifully poured the tea for everyone and served it with the etiquette and grace of a refined lady. Despite that, no one other than me and Ui seemed to take notice of this. Was she just a waitress to them? She may seem peachy and all now, but I wouldn't be surprised if she snapped one day and begged for attention one way or another. Who knows? She might spike their tea with, uh, too much sugar or something… or create an alternate persona. But that's just my imagination, I guess.

Anyways, so there I was with a cup of hot tea set before me as I listened to the girls chatter on without end. Being a guy, I naturally got bored by their chatter and turned my attention to the tea. In all honesty, I was more of a coffee person but hot tea was good enough. I used to remember Ritsu talk about Mugi's tea all the time so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

I picked up the teacup and took a sip. It wasn't half bad! As a matter of fact, I liked it! The tea had an exotic taste to it and the distinct taste of lemon gave it that extra kick that kept me coming back for more. I downed the cup and Mugi was more than happy to give me a refill.

"A cup of hot tea with lemon can be good for the phlegm." Mugi said as she handed me my second cup. Not being able to 'speak', I just nodded and took it happily. Round two, let's go.

"Hey," Ui whispered, "you're going through that stuff pretty fast."

I just shrugged and kept going at the tea, making my companion grow worried. Before I realized it, I had downed seven cups and I realized the ultimate repercussion. I had to go to the bathroom!

Oh man… the worst place for a man to be when he has to answer the call of nature is in an all-girl's school. Never mind the fact that I was dressed up as a girl, I didn't even know where the bathrooms were! Was I just going to get up and search the building? That would take too much time… I had to ask Ui. Biting my lip, I turned to Ui and tapped her shoulder.

"Yeah?" She asked. Obviously, she was largely unaware of the raging torrents that afflicted me, "What's up?"

Now that I had her attention, I started wording out 'bathroom' with my mouth, but she couldn't seem to understand. Then, I tried putting some more feeling into it, silently annunciating the word. It attracted more attention than I wanted it to.

"Ritsu-senpai," said Azusa with a suspicious look on her face, "why are you making kissy faces to Yui-senpai?"

Ah shoot! In a moment's time, Ui was blushing like mad and I was shaking my head desperately in denial. I then picked up my teacup to try to get my message across. Once again, I sent the wrong one.

"You want a refill Riichan?" Mugi asked, ready to give me my eighth cup. Hell no!

"Ah, bathroom!" Ui said, finally understanding my plight, "Downstairs, down the hall in the left. You can't miss it."

Thank you! Someone who understands me! Rising up from my seat, I nodded to excuse myself then paced unevenly out of the music room. Following Ui's instructions, I ran down the stairs then down the hallway and found what I was looking for; a bathroom. The problem was, it wasn't the type of bathroom I thought I would ever use in my life. Well, my life as an innocent young man already died hours ago. Trespassing into the girl's bathroom wouldn't make any difference now. I pushed open the door and marched bravely where no civilized male has gone before.

True enough, the place that greeted me beyond the threshold was one to behold. Unlike the men's bathrooms, there was an absence of urinals and the place was… clean. The tiles, the sink, the bathroom stalls… clean? How do they do it? Are we guys that bad at using bathrooms? As much as I would've wanted to ponder about this more, my bladder threatened to burst. I hobbled over to the stall at the far end of the bathroom and locked the door. Okay, here goes…

Just before I could do anything else though, the bathroom door creaked open. Argh! Another person! This was going to complicate things. I was going to have to sit down to do business. I will forego my male privilege this once, and only this once! I deserve a medal for going through all this… I really do. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible.

To my absolute horror, the person who came in walked closer and closer to my stall. The door of the stall beside mine then opened and closed then a skirt dropped to the floor. Oh God, oh God, oh God! How much innuendo can a fifteen year old take? Freud was back… with a vengeance!

Doing my best not to mind the girl in the stall beside me, I finished my business quickly and rushed to the sink to wash my hands and to wash my face. I had seen things not suitable for the general audience (parental guidance being a total nonfactor here – useless TV ratings…) and was eager to forget about it.

To make things worse, when the girl in the stall finished and went out, it was none other than Mio Akiyama. If it weren't for the skirt and the wig, this would have been a really awkward moment for the both of us. Luckily for her, she didn't know about that so the awkwardness was a one-sided ordeal. While I silently froze in indescribable horror, she just walked casually over to the sink and washed her hands as if nothing had happened. Oh, the irony.

"Oh, hey Ritsu." She said. I replied with a shy nod.

"Phlegm still a problem for you?" She asked. I nodded to her again.

"You know, it's funny being together like this." She said chuckling a bit, "Whenever we're together, you'd talk about nonsense nonstop."

She didn't know how funny (not to mention strange) the situation was… she really didn't. Sighing audibly, I shut off the water and headed out the door.

"Hey, wait a sec." She said, shutting off her water as well, "Would you mind walking with me for a bit?"

Eh? What?

"There's something I want to talk to you about." She said a little shyly, "I think now would be a good time to talk about it."

What's this, a heart to heart discussion? As much as I would've wanted to avoid delving into my sister's personal affairs, I didn't really have much of a choice. Shrugging, I accompanied Mio on her walk.

Apparently, since we still had some more time, everyone else went on ahead to bring their instruments to the auditorium. After that, they were pretty much free to enjoy the school festival before the performance. That being said, Mio still had to bring her bass over to the auditorium. Since there already was a drum set there, I could just tag along with her for a while which was exactly what I did. Walking alone with her towards the auditorium, she wasted no time in getting to the point.

"Ritsu, you've been my friend for quite some time now." She said shyly, "We've known each other since elementary after all."

Okay… well, maybe a little time then.

"We've been the best of friends," she then added fondly, "but I think that… maybe… we're meant to be something more."

Whoa… what the…

"Ritsu Tainaka." She said, stopping and turning to me, "I think I like you."

Talk about awkward. Not only was she confessing to a girl (or at least she thought she was)… she was confessing to the wrong person! This is too much!

"What about you?" She said, leaning closer to me, making me blush, "Do you like me too?"

Mio was a beautiful girl and was popular among the guys back in my school. Any straight man who would be asked that question by this angel would be out of their minds to say no. Given the context of the proposal though, it would be terribly wrong for me to say yes. It hurt me in more ways than one…

Sighing, I gently pushed her away and shook my head.

"Oh, I see." She said, a little disappointed, "Is it because you like someone else?"

Oh man, my head was spinning. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience gone wrong in so many levels, I lost track.

"C'mon, answer me." She said desperately, "Talk to me, I don't care how bad your phlegm is… I want to know."

Having been driven to a corner like this, my mind went blank. In the midst of all that prodding, a name slipped from the tip of my tongue.

"Ui."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." I croaked. I then walked away, leaving the girl hanging and confused. As I paced out of the Sakura-gakou building, I wondered if I really said what I told Mio. Of all the people, why Ui?

I need some time to think…

**To Be Continued**


	5. Ui's Dilemma

**Author's Notes:** Chapter 5 is here and the story is coming to a close! The same warnings apply! Read at your own risk. I will be holding a poll soon, about whether I should turn this into a series and some ideas I have in mind. Anyways, here it is, Chapter 5!

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**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 5**

"_Ritsu Tainaka_." Mio said as she looked me straight in the eye, "_I think I like you. Do you like me too?_"

That scene repeated itself relentlessly over and over in my head as I walked dejectedly through the halls of Sakura-gakou. Cherry blossom petals fell in dramatic fashion and the wind even gently brushed against her hair for impact. It was the standard-issue confession scene I've watched in anime and read about on the net but… damn that was messed up! What the hell was going on in Mio's mind? Does she actually like big sis in the way I think she means? Or have I been reading too much fan fiction lately… Probably both. In any case, I didn't want to think about it anymore.

"_Would it be because you liked someone else?_"

Then, there was that.

Being surrounded like that and totally flabbergasted by the situation, it surprised me to know that anyone came to mind at all. The first person I could think of, even in the midst of that maelstrom of rainbows and adrenaline was hers; Ui's. Of all people, why her?

I know she's a good, responsible person (not to mention pretty) and all, but we barely knew each other till this day. Everything I knew about her were the tidbits Ritsu told me about her, and I assume that the only things she knew about me were things Ritsu told to Yui. To make things worse, the first time we really got to know each other was a time when we were both dressing up as our sisters. Talk about awkward… Nonetheless, she was the first person on my mind...

"Freud's going to have a field day with this…" I muttered to myself as I walked out of the building then into the outdoor fair. A certain someone however apparently heard me say Freud.

"Perhaps it has something to do with your childhood," Said Ui, copying the famous psychiatrist's voice, "Please. Sit down and tell me about your dreams."

The two of us then burst into laughter. If she really was offering psychiatric counseling, I could use a session or two. This day made me fear for my sanity more than anything else after all.

"So, you know about Freud too?" I asked, amazed that Ui caught my Freudianism quickly.

"I came across a book about him in the Library the other day," Ui said humbly, "so I guess I could say I know him."

Remembering Ritsu's stories about Ui, she was a terrifyingly fast learner. I only learned about Freud after months of exposure to the strange combination of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzmiya and TVtropes, but she learned it by picking up a book and skimming through it. Also, I heard she could also just waltz into a batting center without prior knowledge and hit a home run like it was nothing. And to think Yui was her sister… I've got a good guess about who's got the dominant genes. Genetics can be harsh.

"So tell me Satoshi-kun," she said with a smile, "what exactly is Mr. Freud going to have a field day with?"

"Nah… it's nothing." I said laughing dryly. Even though she was the only person I could speak to without having to act like a plague-afflicted European, telling her about what happened earlier wasn't in my best interest. Being with her like this though, I felt totally fine now. I was much calmer than before. A while ago, I felt like I was going to succumb to stroke... or schizophrenia. Whichever came first.

"You know Satoshi-kun," she then said, "whenever I feel troubled or unmotivated about something, I just try to remember why I'm doing it in the first place."

"Dressing up like a girl isn't exactly something I can feel motivated about." I laughed, "I'd be worried about my future if I did."

If I lived in San Francisco, I might (as a last resort) consider thinking otherwise... but still!

"That's not the point here." Ui chuckled, "What I'm trying to say is, you're doing this for your sister, right? If that's not the case, then you wouldn't have left the house in that uniform."

True enough, I was considering not going at all. The girl then smiled pleasantly and said,

"You love your sister. That's why you're here."

That's why I'm here, huh... Even though Ritsu was a total jerk when I was at home, she was a really nice person on the inside and was serious when it mattered. Irrational as it may be, maybe I did love my sister. Jeez, why am I getting all mushy inside? Clearly, I've been reading too much fan fiction. I _should_ stop reading the M section. Ui saw me blush and laughed mildly.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Ui said, "I feel the same way about onee-san. She's my big sister after all, so I can truly say I love her too. If I think of it that way, it's not as bad as it seems, really."

"I guess not." I said with a sigh, "That's why we have to do our best for this performance, huh."

"Yeah... the performance..." Ui said shrinking a little bit, "We'll definitely have to do our best."

The lack of exclamation in her voice wasn't convincing...

"So what's up Ui?" I asked, "Whenever I talk about the performance, you just shrivel up."

"Shrivel up?" Ui asked, trying to mask her anxiety with a dry laugh, "I'm not shriveling up. My sister doesn't shrivel up, so I shouldn't too right?"

I merely sensed smoke, but her countermeasures turned it into a smoke signal. In Hiragana. Unlike the pleased and happy Ui I saw just moments ago, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Something was up, and the crumpling sound of paper caught my attention. Folded there in her small hands was a sheet of paper full of handwriting.

"What's that in your hands then?" I asked, pointing to the sheet

"Nothing." She said half-panicking, quickly putting the paper in her coat pocket.

"You're hiding something aren't you…" I gleaned, staring into her eyes.

"I'm not." Ui denied, turning away from me. Her face was puffed up and she was being really stubborn. Whether or not that was another one of Yui-senpai's mannerisms she perfected, I didn't know. In any case, I had to get to the bottom of this.

"C'mon, don't hide it from me." I said calmly, "If there's something wrong, you can tell me. You know, we only have each other…"

Erm... wait a sec, did I just say that? It didn't register in my mind for the first few milliseconds, but when it did, I gasped. Luckily, Ui didn't misunderstand and was only looking at me funny. I had to clear things up.

"I mean, we're partners in crime here Ui. We have to trust each other to succeed." I said, haphazardly rephrasing what I was planning to say.

"Fine." Ui said shyly, "But don't laugh at me okay?"

"I won't."

She then fished out the paper again and handed it to me. It was the lyrics to 'Fuwa Fuwa Time' written in Mio's handwriting.

"The lyrics..." I said as I read the sheet, "So what's the problem then?"

"I think I have the guitar parts down, you see." Ui explained, "But I have a hard time memorizing the lyrics."

So that's her problem… Seems her super-absorbent mind has its limits too.

"Is that why you asked Mio if you could hold off the singing part till the performance?" I said, making the connection rather quickly. The girl could only nod.

"Well, you've had a good few hours with it now." I said, "How are things going?"

"Not so good…" Ui said frowning irritably, "I have to play the guitar _and_ sing the song after all… doing them at the same time isn't exactly an easy thing to do!"

Just like her sister, she probably couldn't handle doing two things at the same time (Yui significantly more so than Ui). Ui might have been a quick learner, but doing two fairly complex things she just learned to do at performance level in tandem was something else entirely. No wonder why she was so shaky whenever I brought it up...

"It's really the rhythm, Satoshi-kun." Ui said, fretting the chords in mid-air, "I just can't seem to put the song together in the right rhythm..."

Rhythm… The moment she said that word, the words my sister told me before I left came to mind.

"_We drummers are the rhythm of the band. We are the ones who urge the others onward._"

Ui was standing there, physically and emotionally taxed. She seemed in total disarray at that point - no one gets their rhythm right in that state. Also, it seemed as if she was ready to cry. If Ui really loved her sister as much as I think she does, then this performance meant a whole lot to her. If she messed this show up, then she'd be letting Yui-senpai down... and I'd be letting my sister down as well. I don't want that... I can't leave her like this. Taking a deep breath, I turned to the girl and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'll help you." I said in a serious tone.

"What?" Ui asked, unable to believe what she heard.

"I'll help you memorize the lyrics." I repeated, "If I don't help you out now, we're gonna put up a crappy show. Crappy shows won't make our sisters happy, you know."

"Satoshi-kun…"

"I can't sing as well as I'd like to…" I said shyly, "but I make up for it in rhythm. I'm a drummer after all - I'd suck if I didn't have rhythm."

The girl's eyes then started to sparkle with delight.

"So you're gonna help me Satoshi-kun?"

"Yeah." I said with a smile, "I made that crazy pinky promise after all. I wouldn't want to break that agreement now, would I?"

The girl stood silent in awe and a happy silence fell upon us. Then, without warning, the girl came to me and hugged me all of the sudden.

"Thank you so much!" Ui squealed happily. Now I know why Azusa was so eager to hug her back… or maybe why her name was the first that came to mind. She was the only person I could trust today, so I didn't want to let her down.

"Not so tight!" I gasped, "My wig might fall off!"

"Oh right." Ui chuckled, letting go of me, "So what do we do now? Are we gonna practice?"

"Nope." I said, pointing to the school fair with a smile, "We're gonna blow off some steam first."

"Eh?" Ui asked surprised.

"You can't really learn anything when you're stressed out." I reasoned, "We've been through a lot today so we deserve a break. Why not enjoy the fair ourselves?"

"I see." She said happily, "Okay then. Lead the way Riichan!"

"It'd be my pleasure, Yui."

The two of us then walked over to the fairgrounds, our confidence having been revived. If Ui wasn't stressed out, I'm sure she'll learn the lyrics without a problem so it was all good. Besides, I was starving, so it was hitting two birds with one stone...

Being together with her in the fair, I remembered something I didn't tell her then. Aside from wanting to make Ritsu happy, there was another reason why I wanted to help her; She was prettier when she smiled.

We can do this.

**To Be Continued**


	6. Don't Worry, I'm Here For You

**Author's Notes:** The Continuity Poll is now on my Profile Page. Please cast your votes on the fate of Time Out! Substitution! Will it be a series, or will it be a standalone story? Your choice, my friends! For now, I would like to thank everyone again for reading this humble fic of mine and I truly hope you enjoy Chapter 6!

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**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 6**

"Okay then!" Ui said cheerfully, "Lead the way Riichan!"

"It'd be my pleasure Yui!" I replied with a grin. Nodding to each other, the two of us headed off to the fairgrounds set up at the courtyard of Sakura-gakou.

For the past five hours or so, Ui Hirasawa and I have been dressed up and have been acting like our elder sisters. From our homes to the Sakura-gakou compound, the day has been rough to say the least and the fact that I've been seeing Freud references around every corner recently isn't a really good sign for my sanity. However, Ui and I still stood strong and our plan was going smoothly. That being said, we deserved a break. Big time.

Since there was a cultural festival going on at Sakura-gakou, then we might as well enjoy ourselves. Fair booths of all kinds, food stalls, game stands and even a stage of sorts stood to greet us there… and is that _Hamlet_ they're showing on stage? Sheesh, a girl dressing up as a man and making a soliloquy… how appropriate.

"They say they're going to play _Romeo and Juliet_ next year." Ui whispered as we passed the stage by, "I think it'll be cute."

I think it'll be strange. Two girls, one dressing up as a guy, wooing each other in Shakespearean English doesn't exactly fall in the 'cute' spectrum of this skeptical mind of mine. Awkward is the word I'd more likely use… Thank God I study in a co-ed school.

"Makes you wonder how they have time to memorize all those lines." Ui said, listening as the girl Hamlet made her speech on life and death. "Must be tough."

Just as I thought, she was still worried about the lyrics…

"Well, if you're psyched up and if you believe in what you're doing, then I'm sure it'll be cakewalk." I said, patting her shoulder, "Chill out Ui! Lose your stress and I assure you, you'll knock their socks off!"

"You really think so?" Ui asked shyly

"Hell yeah." I agreed emphatically, "Your guitar skills are amazing enough. Once _we_ get those lyrics down, it'll be a hell of a show!"

The girl could only smile. That was a good sign.

"So why don't we get something good to eat?" I said, "You'll never calm down on an empty stomach. Trust me, you won't."

"I agree." Ui said. The two of us then raided some food stalls then met at a nearby bench with our spoils. Ui got a standard bento-box with rice and an assortment of side dishes and some miso soup. I on the other hand came back with a large bowl of ramen and a tray of takoyaki and tempura.

With our favorite foods arrayed before us, the two of us sat there with our chopsticks on the ready.

"Alright then, let's eat!" I said with furor.

"Roger!" Ui said with the same enthusiasm. We then dug into our food like there was no tomorrow. It was the most awesome pig-out session I've had, ever. In the middle of it all though, I noticed Ui eyeing my remaining takoyaki every so often. What if I…

"You want some?" I asked, handing her the takoyaki tray.

"N… nah, it's alright." Ui said, fidgeting a bit

"Aww, come on! Don't be shy!" I said, picking up a piece with my chopsticks and putting it close to her mouth, "Here, say aah."

You _idiot!_ What the hell am I doing feeding her like this all of the sudden? I have to pull back and make up an excuse, fast! Before I could react though, the girl shyly opened her mouth and took the piece leaving me in a state of shock. She then downed the takoyaki and smiled… damn she was cute!

"You should have something from me too then." Ui proposed, showing me the contents of her bento box, "Go ahead."

I pointed to the sushi roll in the corner that was just begging to be eaten. I was just about to pick it up with my own sticks when Ui picked it up first. With a little less hesitation than before, she brought it over to me.

"Aah~."

Now I was the one on the receiving end… Letting go of my inhibitions, I opened my mouth and took the roll. Though the roll was nothing out of the ordinary, it tasted better than any sushi I've ever had! Could it be that… gah, I should stop thinking about these mushy things! Maybe Ritsu's uniform was taking it's toll on my mind… Shaking my head, I got back to eating and the two of us finished soon enough.

"So what do we do now Riichan?" Ui asked, somewhat eager for the next thing. In the back of my head, I couldn't help but feel like this was turning into a sort of date. Whatever… I'll do anything to get her ready for tonight's show. My goal now was to make her happy before the practice, so that was exactly what I was going to do.

"Your choice, Yui." I said, "I can't really make all the decisions here."

"Okay then." Ui said looking around, "Hmm… what about there?"

Ui pointed out a stall somewhere in the middle of the fairgrounds where an old lady sat before a rounded table. She was a fortune teller. Oh joy. It didn't take much to foretell that I won't really have much of a future after this, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, Ui really wanted to have her fortune read… and maybe I was a little interested too.

"Welcome dearies." The old lady said in a mystical tone as Ui and I approached, "You are here to have your fortunes read, am I correct?"

"Yes ma'am." The two of us said in tandem

"Very well." She said holding out her hand, "That will be 125 kinsu. Each."

The only thing that rivaled her age was her shrewdness…

"What was that young lady?" The old lady asked sharply, turning to me with suspicion. Whoa… did she just read my mind? Can't be. If she was reading my mind, she'd go mad from all the lewdness I've gone through and Freud would haunt her till the day she died. Since she was still alive and arguably sane, that probably wasn't the case. Also, if she could read minds, she'd know I was a guy. She'd definitely know I was a guy.

"Nothing." I said with a smile. She then held out her hand again, asking for the payment. Taking out our wallets, Ui and I gave her 125 each.

"Thank you dearies." She said a little happily, "Now please, show me your left hands. I will read your fortunes."

We did as we were told and waited for her verdict. She looked at Ui's hand first and traced the lines with her eyes carefully.

"You have a bright future ahead of you young lady." She said, "Prosperity and success await you as a businesswoman or an actress, as long as you give it your all."

Hah, we have the same prediction huh? After going all-out Yui mode, I know Ui can act anything. As for being a businesswoman, she was a meticulous and organized person. I'm sure she can keep a number of those soft CEO's in line by herself. The lady then let go of her hand then proceeded to mine.

"Hmm… your future is a little cloudy, young lady." The old lady said as she rubbed her chin. I knew it! I have no future! Haha. It feels nice to be indirectly living the punk rock doctrine of no future, but that's not exactly a good thing now, is it?

"But your perseverance will bring you through." She added quickly, "You have a lot of hidden passion and I can see you becoming a writer or a film director… or somewhere in the arts."

Thank goodness I still have a chance in life. Just when I was about to throw my future in the wastebasket too, good call. Anyways, a writer, huh? The only writing experience I've had in writing was writing crackfics in random sections on Fan Fiction. Maybe it's time to move on to Fiction Press? And about directing? I'll probably make it big in the animation industry. Don't worry Mr. Miyzaki, I will avenge you! Just as my thoughts of animation imperialism were starting to take form, the lady gasped.

"What is it?" I asked, wondering why she acted up all of the sudden. Did she finally see what I've been through today? Or was Freud starting to whisper psychiatry in her ear? Hopefully it wasn't either of them.

"Young lady," she said turning to Ui, "would you mind if I look at your hand once more?"

Ui nodded dazedly and let the lady read her hand again. She then looked more distraught than before.

"That's all I can tell you." She said, trying to act as if she wasn't flabbergasted.

"I see." Ui said, "Thank you very much."

"Wait a sec…" I said to Ui, "don't you…"

"I'll go on ahead and take a look at the other stalls." Ui said with a smile. She then went on her merry way. Still unsatisfied with the old lady's feint, I turned to her with another 125 kinsu and asked her to tell me the fortune she was hiding.

"I can't tell you miss. It's just too… strange."

Without saying another word, I brought out yet another 125 and slammed it on the table.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." I said firmly as she took the 250 kinsu hesitantly

"Before anything else though, let me ask you something." She said, "Would you happen to be a lesbian?"

Whoa… what kind of a question was that?

"Well, are you?" She asked with a raised brow

"I… erm… don't know." I muttered, not really knowing how to answer that sort of question. Was it even possible for a guy to be a lesbian?

"Fine." The lady said with a sigh, "I don't know how I got this sort of reading… but after looking at your hand and that young lady's, it was undeniable."

C'mon… get on with it.

"You two will make a good couple." She said plainly.

"Excuse me?" I asked, astounded by the claim

"You heard me young lady." She said in a serious tone, "As ethically strange as it may sound, you and that friend of yours are well-suited… don't ask me why."

Oh man… everyone's on to me today huh. First Mio, now this… Won't this world stop messing around with a young man's heart? We have our limits too! However, if that were truly my fortune, then I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind at all.

Putting my hands in my pockets, I walked on down the courtyard to catch up with Ui to find her standing before a gaming stall. Hanging there on the top shelf of the stall's prizes was an enormous teddy bear and Ui was looking at it rather fondly. She seemed to be a little lost in thought as she watched it, but was silent the whole time. She wanted it, I could tell. Though I didn't tell them to, my feet brought me to her side. It was as if some other force were guiding my footsteps then... and I let it lead me.

"There's one more thing I can tell you to let go of the stress." I said as I approached her, "If there's a goal in your mind, don't you ever think you won't be able to reach it. Cause the moment you do, you won't."

Ui was startled by my arrival, but nodded shyly as she listened to what I said. Had I been a stranger, her reaction would have been totally different, but never mind that.

"Let's say you want that teddy bear over there on the top shelf." I said, pointing to that thing she seemed to want, "You won't get it from just standing there, you have to go and get it!"

"Eh… but…" Ui said, fidgeting. I read her mind spot on, and the girl's face was turning red.

"Don't worry." I said with a reassuring smile, "I'll pay."

I then took out a two-hundred kinsu bill and approached the stall with Ui. I just hope Ritsu will forgive me for spending all her money in one day... but she does owe me for all this crap going on. It'll take more than money for us to get even...

Anyways, the gaming stall was a shooting stall, with wooden targets waiting to be shot by pop rifles. A number of people were already shooting at them, but only a few ever hit a target, most of which were low-value ones. The clerk just sat there behind the counter, half-asleep in his chair. It was as if he knew no one was going to win the prize... the stall was probably rigged in the first place, but oh well. Ripoffs...

"Okay Ui," I said as I gave the bill to the half-asleep attendant, "you have five shots to get a hundred points."

"Right." Ui said, hesitantly picking up a rifle

"First thing's first." I said, stating the obvious, "Choose a target."

The girl then pointed to the smallest target on the field – the one worth a hundred points. She was a risk-taker, huh. I like that.

"Now, take your aim and fire!"

Nodding, Ui pointed the pop gun at the target and pulled the trigger. It was way off... Oh well, I probably wouldn't have done any better anyways. Seeing her frown a bit though, I knew she needed a little more encouragement.

"Don't let missing a few bring you down." I said, "Adjust your aim and go again."

Taking a deep breath, the girl did as she was told. She took her second shot, then her third and fourth. To her dismay, none of them hit.

"Sato… I mean, Riichan…" Ui moaned, already disheartened by her four misses, "Are you sure we should keep going?"

"Of course!" I said, "If you give up, then it's all over! When you still have a shot at something, you have to take it no matter what."

"But what do I do?" Ui whimpered, "I can't seem to get it right…"

"You've seen a pattern, haven't you?" I said, tapping the gun with my finger, "This stall is freakin rigged, and we know that. That's why they offer crazy huge prizes like that bear in the first place. The only way to win is to bypass their traps, know what I'm saying?"

"I think so..." Ui said, remembering that all her shots were way off for some strange reason. Judging by the serious look in her face, she was slowly putting it all together. Smart girl.

"The gun fires a little lower than the muzzle and it falls short almost every time." I said, helping her out, "Now that you know that, you have to make adjustments. Lean over the counter."

"What?" Ui asked, surprised by my command

"Lean over the counter." I repeated, "Go as far as your back will take you. Your shot won't fall short that way."

"Okay..." Ui said, understanding the logic (as odd as it was), "Then I aim higher, right?"

"Correct. Always aim higher." I said with a nod, "Now go!"

BANG! The cork flew out from the gun and smacked the 100-point target off the field. She did it! The clerk awoke to the sound of the victory theme that played as the background flashed in bright lights. He couldn't believe someone beat his booth. The man grumbled, saying curses every now and then and handed Ui the large bear. Serves him right. At the end of it all, though, the important thing was this; Ui was happy.

"I told you, you could do it." I said as Ui hugged the bear tightly, "You told me earlier that when I feel unmotivated, I should think about why I'm doing it in the first place. Well, if you believe you can do whatever it is you're supposed to do, you're bound to reach it someday!"

"Just like the lyrics, huh?" Ui asked with a smile

"Yeah, just like the lyrics." I nodded, "Speaking of which, why don't we start practicing now? Unless you're still stressed out, that is."

"I'm fine now," she said happily, "I really am. Thank you."

The two of us smiled for a moment then walked on over to the auditorium for practice. Neither of us said a word, but the two of us were happy. Along the way, Ui carried the large bear in her arms with an expression indistinguishable from glee and the smile on her face was radiant enough to melt even the most cynical of men's hearts - namely mine. Seeing her like this made me happy… and it made me believe that we could really pull this off. Setting aside the bear backstage, Ui took out her sister's beloved Gui-tah and sat with me on some monobloc chairs as we went through the lyrics of Fuwa Fuwa Time.

The girl had a hard time singing and playing the guitar at the same time for a while. But with every strum of her guitar and with every word we we went over, we pulled through. Everything had been going smoothly for us - our plan had worked, we had some fun together and we were about to nail Fuwa Fuwa Time. Fate however had one last hurdle for us, and it came in the form of a loud voice,

"There you are!"

Ui and I jumped off our seats and looked over to where that shout came from. There, Mio, Mugi, Azusa and Sawa-chan stood with displeased looks on their faces.

"We know who you are!" Mio accused firmly, her face brimming with anger "Ui-chan, Satoshi-kun, your time's up."

**To Be Continued**


	7. Finale, We've Got Nothing To Hide

**Author's Notes:** Here it is people! The grand finale of Time Out! Substitution! It took me a while to get this done, and you'll soon find out why, but here it is! Cast your votes on the continuity poll and decide the future of this series! For now, here it is; Time Out Substitution Chapter 7! Enjoy!

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**Time Out! Substitution!**

**Chapter 7 – The Finale**

"_We know who you are… Ui-chan, Satoshi-kun, your time's up."_

Standing there before us were the members of the Light Music Club with their instructor Sawako Yamanaka. Looks of displeasure, and maybe even shock, were etched on their faces as they surrounded us. It was a firing squad… there was no other way to put it. We've been found out…

"We followed you around the fairgrounds, you know." Mio said, "Seeing the way you two acted around each other… it was too obvious."

"Did you two enjoy your little date?" Azusa interrogated as she closely watched her friend, "It's not really nice to lie to your friend like that, you know."

"I'm sorry Azusa… ah, oh…" Ui said, realizing she had slipped up on her name. Azusa, being her friend seemed willing to forgive her, but Mio wasn't.

"Sorry won't cut it today, Ui." Mio said. She then saw the lyric sheet she had written up for her earlier and was appalled.

"No way… We've got five minutes before the show and you don't even know the lyrics? I can't believe you're even doing this Ui!"

The weight of Mio's piercing accusation was too heavy for Ui to bear. Ui's spirit shattered and she couldn't say a word. Having rendered Ui speechless, Mio's attention naturally turned to me. Compared to everyone else, she was the most fumed up. She was the largest stakeholder in this mess after all, and perhaps, after that incident, the biggest victim.

"You're disgusting…" Mio whispered to me, staring knives into my eyes, "I can't believe I told something like that to you."

That cold piercing stare would have knocked the living daylights out of a lesser man, but I stood my ground. I didn't mean to do what I did, or listen to what I heard. I didn't do anything wrong. Pushing for my innocence, I just stared back at her, deflecting those knives determinedly.

"You're not even going to apologize, aren't you?" Mio asked, "Just like Ritsu… but worse. Hmph."

"Well, you got us." I said, unfazed by her insult, "Are you gonna be trash talking us for the rest of the night?"

"You broke our trust and you have the nerve to say that?" Mio gasped, "You're a monster!"

"Maybe I am." I said, glaring back at her "I admit this was a fucked up plan and that I screwed up like shit. I know I'm an asshole for lying to you all and doing things I shouldn't have done, so call me whatever you want Mio-senpai. Call me whatever you want, but know this; I did this for a reason and so did Ui."

"Well?" She asked, not really knowing what else to say. Then, I grinned.

"It's because we love our sisters."

Hearing this, the girl fell silent and her disbelief slowly diffused her fury.

"I understand Ui and I lied to you guys… and that we risked making the show a flop and all..." I continued, "But we were doing this for our sisters. As much as they want to be here, they can't be here. Seeing that, we couldn't just stand still… we had to freaking do something, even if it was something stupid."

The instructor and the other members who had come with Mio like a mob looking for blood were now silent as well, their anger now nonexistent. Sawako was impressed. Tsumugi was pleased. Azusa understood our sentiment. They grew sympathetic. It was only Mio now who held on to a grudge. What had happened between us was wrong on so many levels, but we had to put it behind us. She had to understand.

"We're here to perform today, Mio-senpai." I said firmly, "For the past few hours, I've been helping Ui to get the song right. If I didn't care about this show, then I wouldn't care how Ui did. I could have just walked away, you know. But I didn't. I just couldn't leave her alone."

"Satoshi-kun," Ui said with a teary smile, slowly regaining her confidence.

"So know this," I continued, "We're not here to humiliate you guys or to make fun of you – not at all. We want this show to be a success as much as you do. After all, if that wasn't our plan, then why the hell would we have come here?"

"I know that…" Mio said, losing the will to accuse any further, "but…"

"If you're still mad at us for lying…" I said, tearing off my wig and throwing it to the ground, "then we won't lie anymore."

There it was, as plain as day. The moment I took of the wig, the long locks of brown hair gave way to the short messy black hair of mine. Whatever girlish features I may have had disappeared in an instant. I was no longer an imitation of my sister Ritsu. I was myself.

"I'm here today as Satoshi Tainaka," I said in a serious tone, "and I'm here to perform on behalf of my sister."

"I'm the same." Ui added, fixing her hair and tying it back to her regular ponytail, "I'm not here to be onee-san. I'm here as plain old Ui Hirasawa, performing for my big sis."

The two of us looked at each other and smiled.

"Please let us perform with you tonight!" Ui and I said, bowing as low as our backs would take us. "We beg of you!"

"So what do you think Sawako-sensei?" Mio asked their instructor, too moved by the gesture to make the decision herself.

"I personally won't mind." Sawako said, "But there's just one problem…"

She then turned to me and asked,

"Are you fine performing in that skirt and blouse Mr. Tainaka?"

"I don't care what I wear out there." I said with a grin, "I'm gonna give them a show regardless."

"Eager to cross-dress, huh." Sawako smiled, "You'd have made an excellent member of the Light Music Club if you were a girl."

This statement made Azusa and Mio cringe… I'm guessing she made them wear outlandish costumes in the club. I knew something was fishy… Had the situation been different, I would have been bitching about my dignity and other crap like that. However, some things are just more important than that. Performing on behalf of my sister today was one of them.

"In any case," Sawako concluded, "the decision lies on the Club President… who isn't here, so it'll go to her trusty deputy. It's your call Akiyama-san."

"If you really want to do this…" Mio said with a smile, "then I can't stop you."

She then stood next to me and whispered,

"Just don't tell anyone about what I told you, okay? It's our little secret."

"Erm… sure…" I mumbled, still quite uncomfortable of the notion of my sister's best friend liking her. I'll do my best to forget all about it, and all the Freud references I've made because of that.

"So let's go." Ui said confidently as the sound of people entering the auditorium reached our ears, "We have a show to do."

With that, the five of us marched on up to the stage where our instruments already were. Leaving the wig on the wings of the stage, I marched towards the drumset and sat, still donning my sister's clothes but not giving a damn. The moment I held on to the drumsticks, I forgot all about that, keeping the reason why I was here in mind to prod me onwards. Looking forward, I saw Ui putting on her sister's Gibson Les Paul. She held on to the fretboard with one hand and the microphone stand with the other as we all waited for that red curtain to open.

My heart beat wildly, induced by a mix of excitement and stage fright as I gripped the drumsticks tightly to keep myself from freaking out. The sound of the audience grew louder and louder as people filled the audience area. This was it… the time I've been waiting for all day; the reason why I was here in the first place. It was at that time that Ui turned to me and said with a smile,

"Thank you Satoshi-kun."

The statement I made earlier holds true. She was damn pretty when she smiled. It would have melted away any anxiety I had, but at that moment, I had none… and it was all thanks to her. I wouldn't have gotten through today without her.

"No problem, Ui-chan."

The curtains then slowly opened and the large crowd I had imagined stood there as I thought they would. There was much talk going on there, such as where Yui-senpai was or why a guy in a blouse and skirt was sitting where Ritsu was supposed to be, but screw that. Nodding to Ui, she picked up the microphone and did the MC.

"Everyone. I regret to inform you that Yui Hirasawa and Ritsu Tainaka won't make it tonight. However, the Light Music Club will still perform tonight! I am Ui Hirasawa on vocals and lead guitar, performing for my sister Yui… and this guy behind me is Satoshi Tainaka on drums, performing for his sister Ritsu. It may seem strange that we have to replace them… and there's a long story about it that I won't bother you about now, but rest assured, we will do our best to give you a good time! We only have one song prepared for you tonight, and we apologize, but please, lend us your ears and give us a chance!"

A supportive roar from the audience then reciprocated from the mass of people, making Ui and I smile.

"Thank you very much!" Ui said, with tears of joy welling in her eyes, "Here we go! Fuwa Fuwa Time!"

* * *

**Fuwa Fuwa Time/Light and Fluffy Time**

**Musicians: Ui Hirasawa (Gt-1, Vo), Mio Akiyama (Ba), Satoshi Tainaka (Dr), Tsumugi Kotobuki (Ky), Azusa Nakano (Gt-2)**

Disclaimer: This is an interpretation of the song, and I therefore do not own this song. Credits to the music directors of K-ON!

* * *

"_Whenever I look at you my dear, my heart, it just starts to beat,_

_I get this fluffy feeling like a marsh-a-mallow overload that goes 'fuwa fuwa'!"_

"_You, you're always out there, but you never see me_

_So I just watch you from the side, waiting for that chance you'll see."_

"_Cause' It's only when I'm dreamin', that we are together,_

_I can only hope it'll come true someday~!"_

**…**

"_Ah~, oh my God, please hear me out! Bring us closer for once,_

_Give us dream time, just the two of us!_

_Until then, I guess, I'll just cuddle up with my stuffed bear~_

_And I'll whisper, 'Good night, my love!'"_

**…**

"_Fuwa Fuwa time~!_

_Fuwa Fuwa time~!_

_Fuwa Fuwa time~!"_

**…**

"_It's another day. Just seeing you already makes me want to squeal!_

_I pass you by, you flash a smile and then I start to overheat!"_

"_That happy face you always wear, oh, it's always with me._

_Whenever I close my eyes, that's the first thing that I see."_

"_Oh if only I could, make these dreams just come true!_

_We'll have a sweet time, just you and me!"_

**…**

"_Ah~ Oh my God, could you tell me why,_

_Why I am feeling like this right now?_

_On this dreamy night, I long to be with you._

_Holding on to that teddy bear that you gave me,_

_I ask it, 'will I be fine?'_

**…**

The instrumental came and I pounded on the drums like there was no tomorrow. The crowd was on their feet, clapping to the beat of the cymbals and the feeling was intoxicating. The band members looked at me in the corner of their eyes, watching with delight as I gave my all on every single drum hit. Mio then chuckled a bit and went on and joined me with her bass, following the rhythm I had set. Tsumugi's keyboard followed and so did Azusa's effects part. Then it was Ui's turn.

"Go Ui!" I shouted from behind the set

"Yeah!" She nodded and segued into the solo with passionate strums. She played the guitar with the same furor as the practice and it was amazing. All the time, she had a smile on her face. We can do this!

**…**

"_If I only had the guts to speak_

_And walk at your side where you go_

_Would that ever even change a thing?_

_Well, yeah, I guess that'd be so!"_

**…**

"_But that's where the problem lies you see_

_Cause I wouldn't know what the heck to talk about!_

_It's gonna be awkward since I won't know what to do. Oh man, this is going nowhere!_

_Ahh, oh fine! Let's sleep! Let's sleep! Let's sleep!"_

**…**

"_Ah~, oh my God, please hear me out! Bring us closer for once,_

_Give us miracle time, just the two of us!_

_When that happy time, I can talk to you, finally comes by,_

_Together, us two will smile."_

**…**

"_Fuwa Fuwa time~!_

_Fuwa Fuwa time~!_

_Fuwa Fuwa time~!"_

**_..._**

* * *

The song ended and an enthusiastic applause greeted our performance. The sweat on our faces sparkled in the stage lights as the five of us came together for a bow. With Ui on my left and Mio on my right, we all held hands and bowed together. We then exited the stage to the sound of cheering to make way for the next performers. I picked up the wig and the attached headband from the floor and threw it into my bag laughing. Last time I'll ever use that stupid disguise.

Once we were backstage again, Ui put Gui-tah back in the case with care then picked up the stuffed bear we had won at the shooting stall earlier. I then offered to carry it for her and she was more than glad to accept – it was pretty damn heavy for a stuffed bear… Mio then went over to where we were and said in an apologetic voice,

"I'm sorry I doubted you two. You two were amazing tonight. Congrats."

"Thanks… but don't worry about it." I said laughing, "We did a stupid thing today… we're surprised we even pulled it off."

"Well, I'm glad you did." Mio said with a smile, "So… what are you two doing after this? You want to… uh… hang out?"

"Sorry Mio-senpai," Ui apologized, "I have to make onee-san her dinner after all. And I have to bring this stuffed toy home too."

"Same here." I added, "Maybe some other time."

"Yeah," Mio said with a shy smile, "some other time…"

Whoa… what's this all of the sudden? Was she trying to ask me out? Oh damn… this has been a craaaazy day. Bidding farewell to everyone there, Ui and I headed out of the school grounds.

"So, we got through it huh." I said, sighing in relief, "It's amazing how we stayed sane through all of that."

"I know right?" Ui chuckled, "Freud would have had a field day today."

"Yeah, he would." I laughed. Then, for the first time in this cynical life of mine, I felt glad… and it was all thanks to this person walking beside me. Holding on to this stuffed bear, the lyrics of _Fuwa Fuwa Time_ came to mind…

"Hey Ui." I said, turning to my companion

"Yeah?" Ui asked

"On that first chorus of the song earlier," I noted, "wasn't it supposed to be a plushie bunny or something?"

"Was it?" Ui asked with a smile, "I must have changed it then. Improvisation! That's right, it was an improvisation!"

She stuck out her tongue jokingly. Just as I thought, she changed the lyrics. Then, there was something about that '_stuffed bear that __he__ gave me_'. Was she talking about me, perhaps?

"Yeah right…" I said with a smile. Taking a deep breath, I stopped walking and called her out determinedly.

"Ui… would you go out with me?"

The girl stopped walking as well and looked pleasantly surprised by my sudden proposal. She then smiled and said,

"I'd be happy to."

She then leaned beside me and pecked me on the cheek. It was the best feeling I've had in a long time.

"Just… don't cross-dress anymore, okay?" Ui laughed

"I'll make it a point not to." I laughed as well. We then walked on to our homes, side by side under the bright moonlight. As crazy as it was, in the end, today was a good day. Ritsu and Yui owe us big time, but... we owe them for brining us together like this. Maybe those two were planning it from the start? Meh, who cares. I've given up questioning everything like a wannabe philosopher already. It gets tiring, you know?

Holding on to that bear, I told Ui about that extra fortune that fortune teller had told me earlier. Judging by the smile on her face, she didn't mind... and neither did I.

Seems we have a future after all. This was nice.

**The End**


End file.
